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Liz & Don Oakley

Jun 4, 2006, 8:29 AM

Post #1 of 11 (3779 views)

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Glass Block Skylights

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Has anybody had any experiences with glass block skylights? I know they sell grid systems in the US that are sturdy and watertight. Basically you have one 8" blocl per grid square. I'm sure we could have someone here fabricate a grid, but I'd be worried about it being strong enough to support the blocks. Our opening is 54" by 78" so there is quite a bit of weight involved. And of course there is the issue of properly sealing the blocks to prevent leaks.

thanks

Bloviator

Jun 4, 2006, 8:44 AM

Post #2 of 11 (3771 views)

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Re: [Liz & Don Oakley] Glass Block Skylights

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We had two glass block skylights installed last May. They withstood the rain during last year's rainy season, one is right over the door we use to go to our terraza and we walk on it all the time. Each is four glass blocks about the size of a standard terrazo tile. They completely changed the light situation inside our downstairs from dark and gloomy to light and airy.

We were going to have two others installed, but it took the mason more than two weeks on the terraza in May to install the two. We decided that we didn't want the dust and mess and that he would cook if he stayed any longer out in the 100 degree heat.

(This post was edited by dlyman6500 on Jun 4, 2006, 10:08 AM)

Gwynne

Jun 4, 2006, 9:18 AM

Post #3 of 11 (3767 views)

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Re: [Liz & Don Oakley] Glass Block Skylights

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I first saw these skylights in a house were looking at in the Lakeside area. VERY cool! I was told they had to be small (2 to 4 blocks per skylight) and your contractor had to really know what he was doing and how to position them.

We recently had two installed in the house we purchased. We had to redo the roof, so I decided that was the perfect time to put them in. I haven't seen the result (we're still NOB) but our realtor has been out and assures me that they look great and do NOT leak.
G

patricio_lintz

Jun 4, 2006, 2:45 PM

Post #4 of 11 (3748 views)

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Re: [Liz & Don Oakley] Glass Block Skylights

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We put ours in the wall at the top of the stairwell! Why mess up a perfectly good roof?

www.flickr.com/photos/juan_patricio

cristalhombre

Jun 4, 2006, 4:01 PM

Post #5 of 11 (3741 views)

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Re: [Liz & Don Oakley] Glass Block Skylights

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IMHO......I would NOT pursue this.

That is a HUGE over head skylite for using glass block. Don't know where you are, but I would work with your contractor or a local glass company/fabricator and have a custom size, acrylic (poly-carbonate if available) curbed skylite made for your opening. MUCH less weight, NO leaks and no grout lines/joints that just love to attract dirt and mold. Note that flashing is always required with this type of installation, but that is likely obvious to you.

good luck

"NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST...."

Cynthia7

Jun 4, 2006, 7:28 PM

Post #6 of 11 (3724 views)

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Re: [cristalhombre] Glass Block Skylights

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We have these in all of our rooms and love them. Our roofs are flat so they don't keep us from using the roofs. They just cut holes about 8 " square and installed them. They are not set next to each other but have space (concrete) between them. We sealed them with silicone and they do not leak but if they ever do we would just re silicone the ones that did leak.

Liz & Don Oakley

Jun 5, 2006, 12:21 PM

Post #7 of 11 (3695 views)

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Re: [cristalhombre] Glass Block Skylights

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Thanks to all for the input. I found the specs for a frame system manufactured in Ft. Worth that would probably work (google for IBP and glass block). But I'm not about to try to get it shipped or installed here. And the opening is definitely too large to attempt using block without a frame. The skylight is already in the roof so I can't make it smaller. It's covered by a sheet of polycarbonate (GE Lexan) and has some leaks at the seams or edges. I think that may be due to the wrong kind of sealant. Apparently polycarbonate requires something special for sealing as it's pretty slick. Maybe I can find it in Guadalajara. Apparently Lexan has been used for some fairly large roofing projects and works well - if it's installed correctly.

Rolly / Moderator

Jun 5, 2006, 1:17 PM

Post #8 of 11 (3690 views)

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Re: [Liz & Don Oakley] Glass Block Skylights

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When I was building my house (not the story on my website), I wanted to have a skylight, but my friends talked me out it. They warned that a skylight is an easy entry for a bandido. Maybe you have thought about that issue.

Rolly Pirate

Liz & Don Oakley

Jun 5, 2006, 1:26 PM

Post #9 of 11 (3686 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Glass Block Skylights

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That's true, but if I were a bandito, I could probably find lots of easier ways of getting into the house than the skylight. For now I'd be happy if I could just keep the rain out and I'll deal with the banditos later. :-)

cristalhombre

Jun 5, 2006, 8:37 PM

Post #10 of 11 (3660 views)

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Re: [Liz & Don Oakley] Glass Block Skylights

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Hola Oakleys (did you guys invent those cool sunglasses??) I love them!!

OK couple of comments:

I have been in the glass-fabrication biz for almost 30 years....so I kinda know a little about this.

Glad you are NOT going with block for that huge opening!!!!

You mention that you have a polycarbonate "Lexan". This would be great if true.

One of the processes we do at work is to laminate "Lexan" with glass-cladding for security windows (jails/prisons/zoos and NOW government office buildings - can't make it fast enuf for dem dare bad ass terrorists that Dubbya is worried about) you get the idea.

So if you have Lexan (a very expensive and proprietary GE product) you should have a very strong and impact resistant panel. Now if the frame is bolted in and mortared down to the roof, like my two skylites in Ajijic you should have no problems as Rolly was indicating (preventing forced entry). You can drop bricks on Lexan from 20 feet above and have NO breakage.......that's if it is Lexan (I have my doubts about that in MX) so you might want to double check on that. I do hope it is so. We sell cut size Lexan 6mm (1/4") for about $35 usd per square foot. Prices for this product have almost doubled in 2 years with demand and of course "oil prices". The stuff ain't............Cheap!

fyi (I know you don't need to know this) but a 3/4" thick piece of Lexan meets Level III ballistics rating and will stop a bullet from a 357 Magnum (the dirty Harry "Clint Eastwood" handgun). seriously strong stuff!!

One other thing to know and research is the sealant (usually silicone) for skylites. This product comes in grades and quality. You really do NOT want to skimp here. DOW 795 or GE Sil-proof are the way to seal these. There are many silicone products out there. But I recommend you spend twice the price of the cheap stuff and you will likely NEVER have to mess with it again! Pay now or pay AGAIN later!

Definitely stay AWAY from plexiglass for overhead. If you see ANY evidence of "spider webs" (hairline fractures in the plastic) you know you have plexi. This will eventually fail. My guess is that the UV penetration in MX would cause plexi failure in 3 - 4 years. Probably wont leak but it will crack and discolor.

Acrylics are more common for residential than Lexan.

Here in the states the normal insulated glass infill for RESIDENTIAL overhead glazing is a 1" overall unit with the inboard lite (inside) as a 7/32" laminated(safety glass per code) and the outboard (outside) lite is a 1/4" tinted low-e.... (low-emissivity glass is factory coated with metallic coating (the human eye can not see it) and it reflects the long wave of the light spectrum - aka - radiant heat. Today the low-e coatings are allowing 80% visible light (daylite) the reason we want skylites and at the same time they reflect 60% of the heat gain. There are some very cool products now entering the market. Makes my job fun, helping Architects and designers to select the proper glass types for commercial structures. I did see a skylite at Home Depot - Guadalajara, with insulated glass, so these are likely imported from NOB.

One thing to mention about the size of your large skylite is that most local US building codes would likely make you split that into several pieces of glass NOT just one. But then we all know codes are a non-factor SOB

good luck!

"NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST...."

Liz & Don Oakley

Jun 6, 2006, 4:18 AM

Post #11 of 11 (3648 views)

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Re: [cristalhombre] Glass Block Skylights

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Hola and thanks for the info. The product we have is GE Thermoclear Lexan. It came with the manufacturer's plastic cover sheet still on it, so I think it's legit. It's kind of like corrugated cardboard so it's probably not as sturdy as the solid version you referred to. The frame does have 3 cross member supports and unfortunately there are separate pieces of Lexan for each which means more seams - and more leaks.

I will check out the sealants you mentioned - I think that is the key.

Re: the sunglasses. I wear them, but sadly am not the manufacturer.